title: Application of magnetic separation technology for the recovery of colemanite from plant tailings.
abstract: In this study, colemanite was recovered from tailings produced by the Kestelek (Turkey) Processing Plant by magnetic separation. Magnetic susceptibility measurements revealed that colemanite is diamagnetic in character whereas gangue minerals are weakly paramagnetic, apparently due to the presence of the iron-bearing silicates such as smectite and, to a less extent, illite. Three-stage magnetic separation tests were performed on the size fractions coarser than 75 microm produced from the tailings (31.52% B(2)O(3)) using a high-intensity permanent magnetic separator. Under the test conditions a colemanite concentrate with a B(2)O(3) content of 43.74% at 95.06% recovery was shown to be produced from the tailings. The mineralogical composition of the tailings appears to allow the removal of gangue minerals by magnetic separation and hence the production of a concentrate of commercial grade.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mining Engineering, Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, Turkey. ialp@ktu.edu.tr
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Alp
mesh_terms: D019652:Extraction and Processing Industry; D007220:Industrial Waste; D008280:Magnetics; D014421:Turkey
chemical_list: D007220:Industrial Waste